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VIDEO: Aaron Rowand Made His Legendary Catch in Center Field for the Phillies 14 Years Ago Today

By Thomas Carannante

Former Phillies outfielder Aaron Rowand risking his body to make a spectacular catch.
Former Phillies outfielder Aaron Rowand risking his body to make a spectacular catch. /

This catch embodies the city of Philadelphia. On this day back in 2006, Phillies outfielder Aaron Rowand made an unforgettable grab in center field to rob New York Mets slugger Xavier Nady of extra bases and RBI. This is a part of Phillies history, especially since Rowand broke three bones in his face with the effort.

Nady drove that ball out to center with the bases juiced in the first inning, but Rowand's catch with two outs saved the Phillies from disaster, and they went on to win the game 2-0 in a game that lasted just five innings due to heavy rain.

Rowand's lone All-Star campaign came in 2007 during his short two-year stint with the Phillies. While his time in the City of Brotherly love was short, this catch is engraved in the minds of fans, despite it occurring during a meaningless regular season game.